NSAhttp://www.maclife.com/taxonomy/term/16381/all
enTim Cook Says NSA 'Would Have to Cart Us Out in a Box' for Server Accesshttp://www.maclife.com/article/news/tim_cook_says_nsa_would_have_cart_us_out_box_server_access
<!--paging_filter--><p>Back when the whole Edward Snowden/PRISM scandal broke out, a small (if qualified) saving grace for Apple is that it was apparently the most recent company the NSA accessed. It's still unknown how true all that was, but in <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/video/tim-cook-interview-2014-apple-ceo-discusses-nsa-21656468#" target="_blank">an interview with ABC's David Muir</a>, Apple CEO Tim Cook once again drove home his repeated position that Apple looks out for the security of its users.</p><p>Specifically, Tim Cook said that neither the NSA nor any other government agency has access to Apple's servers, and that they'd "have to cart us out in a box" before they were allowed access. Cook also had strong words when Muir asked him about the Apple CEO's concerns about surveillance in the United States.</p><p><iframe src="http://abcnews.go.com/video/embed?id=21656468" width="620" height="340"></iframe><a href="http://abcnews.go.com/us?cid=11_extvid1"> </a></p><p>In Cook's words, "I've been pushing very, very hard to open the books and be totally transparent. Much of what has been said isn't true; there is no back door. The government doesn't have access to our servers. They would have to cart us out in a box for that. And that just will not happen. We feel that — strongly about it. But I do want to be transparent, because I think transparency would help put everything in perspective."</p><p>But perhaps the most telling moment was when Muir asked Cook if Americans would be more at ease if Cook could telling them more about what's really going on. Cook's answer? "I do." Well, that's comforting, at least.</p><p>The excerpt if part of a longer interview that aired tonight at 6:30 p.m. EST on ABC News.</p><p><em>Follow this article's writer,<a href="https://twitter.com/LeifJohnson" target="_blank">&nbsp;Leif Johnson</a>, on Twitter.</em></p>http://www.maclife.com/article/news/tim_cook_says_nsa_would_have_cart_us_out_box_server_access#commentsNewsappleNSAPoliticsSecuritySnowdensurveillanceSat, 25 Jan 2014 01:09:06 +0000Leif Johnson19149 at http://www.maclife.comApple Joins Tech Giants in Call for Global Government Surveillance Reformhttp://www.maclife.com/article/news/apple_joins_tech_giants_call_global_government_surveillance_reform
<!--paging_filter--><p><img src="/files/u220903/usa_flag_spying_620px.png" alt="USA flag spying" width="620" height="300" /></p><p>Proving that tech companies can set aside their rivalries and differences for a good cause, some of the biggest names in Silicon Valley have launched a campaign calling for sweeping reforms to the National Security Agency.<br /><br />Apple has teamed up with Google, Facebook, Twitter, Yahoo, Microsoft, LinkedIn and AOL for a new campaign known as <a href="http://reformgovernmentsurveillance.com" target="_blank">Global Government Surveillance Reform</a>, complete with a website detailing what they hope to accomplish.<br /><br />"The undersigned companies believe that it is time for the world’s governments to address the practices and laws regulating government surveillance of individuals and access to their information," the website reads. "While the undersigned companies understand that governments need to take action to protect their citizens’ safety and security, we strongly believe that current laws and practices need to be reformed.<br /><br />"Consistent with established global norms of free expression and privacy and with the goals of ensuring that government law enforcement and intelligence efforts are rule-bound, narrowly tailored, transparent, and subject to oversight, we hereby call on governments to endorse the following principles and enact reforms that would put these principles into action," the introduction concludes.<br /><br />While Apple isn't featured in the opening section of the website, Cupertino's name and logo do appear further down the page in "An open letter to Washington" signed by all of the companies involved. The website lays out five specific course of actions the tech companies are seeking from governments around the globe, including quotes from CEOs from key players.<br /><br /><em>Follow this article’s author, <a href="http://twitter.com/JRBTempe" target="_blank">J.R. Bookwalter on Twitter</a><br /><br />(Image courtesy of PoliticalBlindSpot.com)</em></p><p>&nbsp;</p>http://www.maclife.com/article/news/apple_joins_tech_giants_call_global_government_surveillance_reform#commentsNewsAOLApple Inc.campaignFacebookGoogleGovernmentNational Security AgencyNSAspyingsurveillanceTwitterMon, 09 Dec 2013 14:25:29 +0000J.R. Bookwalter18817 at http://www.maclife.comIn New Report, Apple Reveals Government Data Requests; Calls for More Transparencyhttp://www.maclife.com/article/news/new_report_apple_reveals_government_data_requests_calls_more_transparency
<!--paging_filter--><p>Back when all the concerns about the NSA and government surveillance first started making the rounds, Apple was one of the first companies to push for "greater transparency" in declaring the requests it received from the U.S. government. With<a href="http://www.apple.com/pr/pdf/131105reportongovernmentinforequests2.pdf" target="_blank"> a brief</a> released today, Apple shows that it wasn't just blowing smoke.</p><p>Apple still insists that it had nothing to do with the so-called PRISM program allegedly run by the NSA, and in an associated <a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/181826573/13-11-05-Apple-Amicus-Brief-With-FISA-Court" target="_blank">amicus brief</a>&nbsp;(via<a href="http://www.fosspatents.com/2013/11/apple-joins-google-microsoft-yahoo.html" target="_blank"> Foss Patents</a>)&nbsp;it calls out the newspapers such as <em>The Guardian</em> that had "erroneously" claimed Apple was involved. In the brief, Apple outlines the rough amount of requests from the FBI it had to comply with.&nbsp;Keep in mind, though, that the actual details are scant. As the brief says, "At the time of this report, the U.S. government does not allow Apple to disclose, except in broad ranges, the number of national security orders, the number of accounts affected by the orders, or whether content, such as e-mails, was disclosed."</p><p><img src="/files/u334114/2013/11/applehome.jpg" width="620" height="454" /></p><p><strong>Source: <a href="http://images.apple.com/pr/pdf/131105reportongovernmentinforequests2.pdf" target="_blank">Apple</a></strong></p><p>In total, Apple reported that it had between 1,000 and 2,000 requests for information in the U.S., and 719 from the world beyond. Those requests dealt with around 2,000 and 3,000 accounts in the U.S., as well as 769 worldwide. Apple reported that it complied with 225 of the requests for information from worldwide accounts, and (in a sign of how little information they're allow to give), between 0 and 1,000 in the United States.</p><p>In the brief, Apple took great pains to note that it doesn't mine customer data. "Unlike many other companies dealing with requests for customer data from government agencies, Apple's main business is not about collecting information," the brief reads. "As a result, the vast majority of the requests we receive from law enforcement seek information about lost of stolen devices, and are logged as device requests."</p><p>Apple also took the opportunity to criticize the gag order that resulted in such vague numbers. "We feel strongly that the government should lift the gag order and permit companies to disclose complete and accurate numbers regarding FISA requests and National Security Letters. We will continue to aggressively pursue our ability to be more transparent."</p><p><em>Follow this article's writer,<a href="https://twitter.com/LeifJohnson" target="_blank">&nbsp;Leif Johnson</a>, on Twitter.</em></p>http://www.maclife.com/article/news/new_report_apple_reveals_government_data_requests_calls_more_transparency#commentsNewsappleNSAprivacySnowdenspyingWed, 06 Nov 2013 00:27:31 +0000Leif Johnson18546 at http://www.maclife.comOvernight Recap: Why Free Apps Dominate, Verizon Edge, Apple TV Ambitionshttp://www.maclife.com/article/news/overnight_recap_why_free_apps_dominate_verizon_edge_apple_tv_ambitions
<!--paging_filter--><p><img src="/files/u220903/flurry_free_apps_chart_620px.png" alt="Flurry free apps chart" width="620" height="300" /></p><p>Call us crazy, but we'd prefer to pay good money up front for quality apps without advertising or unwanted in-app purchases. Unfortunately, new research reveals that we're the minority of consumers, and the rest of you are apparently skinflints who want everything for free, even if it means putting up with ads. Not convinced? Check out the data for yourself in our Thursday recap...</p><h3>New Research Data Reveals Free Apps Are Where It's At</h3><p>Ever wonder why so many of your favorite apps are leaning toward the "freemium" model? <a href="http://blog.flurry.com/bid/99013/The-History-of-App-Pricing-And-Why-Most-Apps-Are-Free" target="_blank">According to The Flurry Blog</a>, it's because end users are "overwhelmingly" choosing with their wallet, and prefer free apps with advertisements over even a 99-cent ad-free app. Analytics reveal that a full 90 percent of apps being used by iOS device owners in 2013 are of the free variety, with a tiny 6 percent priced at 99 cents -- and as you can imagine, it only gets worse the higher the cost of the app goes. The only bright spot is that the situation is far worse on Android, whose users are painted as complete cheapskates even more willing to tolerate ads so they don't have to pay for apps.</p><h3>Report: Apple's TV Ambitions Will Require Content Partnerships</h3><p><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/18/business/media/apples-move-into-tv-relies-on-cooperation-with-industry-leaders.html?_r=0" target="_blank"><em>The New York Times</em> published an interesting look this week</a> at what it might take for Apple to realize its television ambitions -- and unfortunately, much like the original iPhone with AT&amp;T, it's going to take high-profile partnerships. The difference is, television content is spread between a number of different companies, and juggling the likes of Time Warner Cable and Comcast is proving more difficult than Cupertino may have expected. Even as Google and others are rumored to be attempting a move into the same space, Apple appears to be stepping up efforts to work with content providers, which will hopefully pan out in the long run for end users.</p><h3>Verizon Edge Six-Month Early Upgrade Program Arrives Aug. 25</h3><p><a href="http://news.verizonwireless.com/news/2013/07/edge-device-payment-early-upgrade.html" target="_blank">Verizon Wireless announced Thursday</a> that it's hopping on the early upgrade train along with T-Mobile US and AT&amp;T. Launching on August 25th, Verizon Edge will allow customers to purchase a new device every six months, provided they've paid at least 50 percent of the retail price of that feature phone or smartphone. Although the program has no long-term service contract, finance charges or upgrade fees, the cost is divided over 24 months anyway -- meaning consumers will have to double up (or more) on those monthly payments in order to qualify anyway.</p><h3>Apple, Other Tech Companies Seek NSA Transparency</h3><p><a href="http://allthingsd.com/20130717/apple-google-facebook-microsoft-twitter-and-others-to-mount-push-for-more-nsa-transparency/" target="_blank">AllThingsD reported this week</a> that a "broad alliance of technology companies" including Apple, Google, Facebook, Microsoft and others have banded together with civil liberties groups to publish a letter requesting increased transparency from the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA). Following recent disclosures that tech companies are willingly giving up the personal data of their users, 63 organizations have signed the letter, which encourages President Obama and Congress to allow tech companies to regularly report on NSA activity and requests in a more public way. If you've got a few minutes to kill, the three-page letter is posted in its entirety over on AllThingsD.</p><h3>Zuuka Launches Children's Songbook App Wee Sing &amp; Learn 123</h3><p>Ready for a cross-country drive with the kiddies? Zuuka will help keep the little ones entertained this summer with its latest <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/app/id657472038?ls=1&amp;mt=8" target="_blank">Wee Sing &amp; Learn 123</a> app. Chock full of upbeat music, animated sea animals and read-along lyrics, parents will find all sorts of ways to help children learn their numbers and have fun while doing it. Based on the work of the two music educators who created Wee Sing more than 35 years ago, Wee Sing &amp; Learn 123 is now available as a $2.99 universal app for the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad.<br /><br /><em>Follow this article’s author, <a href="http://twitter.com/JRBTempe" target="_blank">J.R. Bookwalter on Twitter</a></em></p>http://www.maclife.com/article/news/overnight_recap_why_free_apps_dominate_verizon_edge_apple_tv_ambitions#commentsNewsApple Inc.content providersearly upgradesFlurryfree appsfreemiumNSAovernight recaptelevisionVerizon EdgeiPadiPhoneiPodFri, 19 Jul 2013 11:00:00 +0000J.R. Bookwalter17569 at http://www.maclife.com